Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A brilliant flash of light, a noise like a giant metal contrapion landing heavily, and the words “So, Where are we now?”

The words came from the lips of Capt. James Brown, the noise from Dr. Smith's time machine.

-=fig. 687: the time machine=-

“We're exactly where we started from James,” Said Dr. Zachary Smith “Just fifteen years in the past.” “Well, what are we doing here?” “We're rescuing me.”The duo lept from the contraption, which looked to be a cross between a rowboat and a glasblowers nightmare. Also, there were spinning bits. “Unhand that…Child!” Cried Dr. Smith. He gave Capt. Brown a hand signal. Capt. Brown became armed. Von TipRău laughed. “Guns? Really? After our last encounter, Capt. Brown, I took the precaution of inventing this brilliant little doohickey, Mr. Monoid?” Before Capt. Brown had had time to react, Mr. Monoid had a device in his hand, a small device, and he had pressed the only button. “Amazingly delicate thing, a firing mechanism.” Von TipRău said as Capt. Brown clicked the trigger repeatedly. “Looks like we'll have to settle this the old-fashioned way.” Dr. Smith said, drawing his sword. “Indeed? Vell, as I always say, the old vays are usually the best vays. Don't you agree, Mr. Monoid?” “Indeed, Boss.” As one man they drew their weapons. “Ah, Both of you then?” Dr. Smith asked, eyeing the razor sharp blades being handled with the practised hands of experience. The sort of experience where your enemies don't live very long. They answered his question with their weapons. Dr. Smith was good, very very good, but this new development was worrying him. Not that he had much chance to properly think about it as he dodged the blades of death. Capt. Brown watched the spectacle. So did the boy. After awhile, Capt. Brown watched the boy. The boy was sitting cross legged on the ground, right where he had been dropped, watching the fighters very carefully, as if trying to work out where the wires were.Dr. Smith knocked Von TipRău's hat off, and Von TipRău feinted left, which Dr. Smith didn't fall for, there was a flash of steel and Mr. Monoid fell. Von TipRău saw him fall. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Then all that mattered was driving Dr. Smith back. Dr. Smith was surprised by this new effort, he took a step back, then another, and another. “Time to go,” Capt. Brown said to the boy. “No.” Said the boy, “I Don't know you people. You could be…terrible people…for all I know.” “We're not, I'm Capt. Brown, Capt. James Brown.” “Could you tell my friend that I was right about it being a very common name?” “ I AM Your Friend! Tall kid? Goofy grin? Long brown coat that suits him well? This is the same long brown coat! We're from the future! It'll make more sense in a minute, but now is the time to leave, before you get killed by that madman.” “But I'm not even over there.” “Yes you are. Now Come on, we need to get out of here.”They ran to the time machine, Capt. Brown grabbed the back of Dr. Smith's shirt as he ran past, holding him a foot above the ground, one handed. Von TipRău chased them he watched them leap to the boat part of the time machine, he watched as the lights came, he saw them disappear. He walked back and checked Mr. Monoid's vitals. The man was dead.

-=fig. 688: yorrick=-

He stood up, devastated. Monoid had always been there for him, thick and thin, he'd saved him a couple of times, helped him when the madness came, and now he was gone. Von TipRău realised the wind was whipping through his hair. He reached down and picked up the hat at his feet. It was monoid's. He felt a little stronger, and he swore Dr. Smith would pay for what he had done.